WasWatching.com

Laconic commentary from a Yankeeland zealot.

September 28, 2006

Gem Of A Keystone Combo

With Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano both aiming to bat better than .340 this season, it made me wonder - has a team ever had a keystone combo both hit .340+ in the same season?

First, I decided to look at any season in which a 2B and a SS both batted over .340 - period - regardless of their team and league. This is what I found:

When you scan this chart, you can see how special it is - just to have a SS and 2B both bat .340+ in a season - when they're playing for anyone. Having them both play on the same team is an incredible feat.

I hope that Jeter and Cano can both finish the season at .340 or better. Having two men playing next to second base, on the same team, and batting like Jeter and Cano are this season, is just something that you don't see in the history of modern baseball.

Update, 9/28/06, 11:37 am ET: Thanks to Lee Sinins for confirming that McKean and Childs were teammates on the 1894 Cleveland Spiders. And, that in 1876, SS John Peters and 2B Ross Barnes both hit .340+ for the Cubs. (I did not go back to 1876 when I did my list.) Other than these two times, keystone teammates have never hit .340+ in the same season.